Fyke Nets:

Having a variety of different freshwater Species is crucial when it comes to wetland areas. If there is not a decent variety of species one or two will take over and dominate and unbalance the ecosystem. Here are the results of my eel catching experiences, a how-to on fyke net setting including a diagram, and some different freshwater species.

What a Fyke net is: A Fyke net is a long funnel shaped net with stainless-steel or fibreglass "hoops" to hold it up and keep it open. It has an wide open mouth end used to guide and trap fish and eels. The mouth of the net closes into a funnel shape allowing for the catch to swim in, but not out.

There are four main types of Fyke nets: A single wing net, a double wing net, a cod-end net, and a box Fyke net.

Single-wing fyke net

  • It has one guiding panel that stretches 2-3 meters (wing) leading into the net mouth.

  • Best for small streams, drains, or narrow wetland channels.

  • It's Light, easy to set.

  • It does though have less coverage and a lower catch rate due to its capacity.

Double-wing fyke net

  • This net has two guiding panels forming a "V" into the mouth.

  • Good for larger streams, pond edges, or slow-flowing rivers.

  • They have a higher catch rate than single-wing.

  • But, they are much heavier and takes more room to set as well as being a bit of a pain to set if you don't know the correct way.

Cod-end fyke net

  • It is basicly just a standard fyke net but with a detachable end section ("cod end") for easier emptying.

  • Common in scientific surveys and commercial setups.

  • These nets are quick to check and release catches.

  • Destite this they are still slightly heavier than a standard Fyke.

Box fyke (or framed fyke)

  • These are built around a rigid rectangular frame instead of hoops.

  • They are perfect for shallow or weedy waters where hoops on standard nets might collapse.

  • They keep their shape even in thick vegetation.

  • They are much bulkier to carry and store due to their unfold-able structure and shape. Also they aren't really a net-they're more of a cage.

First up, what will you need?

  • A Fyke net, believe it or not, will be the number one most important thing you will need. This will also include a Waratah post (or any other kind of stake) to stake one end of net and then either another stake or some kind of weight for the other end.
  • This is followed closely by bait, any sort of spare offal meat or dog roll-really anything- will do. Also, a nice old lady from a random tackle store near Thames told me eels love Marmite. I took her word for it and stabbed a few holes in a plastic Marmite jar then chucked it in the net. The next day there was a dozen eels in the net; I could barely lift it out of the water!

 

Below are some photos of myself setting a single wing net:

As you can see you want the mouth end staked and facing into the flow.

You want the net stretched out fully and ideally on a somewhat flat pond/riverbed.

Once the net is fully stretched out make sure the guiding panel (the long rectangle flap thingy leading into the mouth) is not tangled and the float line is on the top. Ensure the flat bottom edge of the mouth hoop is flat on the bottom. Also check the back cod end to make sure the end is secure the eels cant just swim/slide right back to freedom! Lastly, make sure all the hoops and especially the cod end are submerged otherwise the eels  might not enter the net properly. Air exposure could also collapse the net from the inside. (Trust me I figured it out the hard way).

Now let it soak for about 24-72 hours but or at least overnight as Long/Shortfin eels feed at night.

A Few Hours Later....

I went down to retrieve my catch the next day after school. It's important that when you pull the net out of the water you lift the mouth end up first to ensure you don't end up pouring the eels out of the mouth of the net.

A decent sized Shortfin I estimate to be about 80-90 centre meters long. This was one of about 30 Shortfins I caught with the Fyke.

I caught about 30 eels over the course of the year and they were, unsurprisingly, all Shortfins.

Here are some things I noticed when I was setting the fyke net:

  • I found that if there was not a great deal of wind on the night I set there would not be enough water flow for the net to keep from collapsing and preventing access for the eels. This lead to a serious decrease of eels numbers, from over a dozen per set, to about 3-4 pet set.

Here are some other freshwater Species in NZ that are awesome to have in your local pond/stream:

 

Create Your Own Website With Webador